Ricky Ponting starts the new year and his 100th test match on Monday hoping to pick up where he left off in 2005, with another Test century and a win over South Africa.
Ponting scored 117 — his 26th test hundred — in the first innings of Australia’s 184-run win over South Africa in the Boxing Day test at Melbourne, finishing 2005 atop the run-scoring standings.
After a tumultuous year in which Australia lost the Ashes to England for the first time since 1987, prompting an exodus of bowlers and middle-order batsmen, the hosts appear to be back at the peak of their powers.
The South Africans batted through the last four sessions to salvage a draw in the series-opener in Perth, but were skittled for 181 chasing 366 at Melbourne on Friday — giving Australia a 1-0 series lead.
With such a short turnaround, and with South Africa missing pace spearhead Makhaya Ntini due to a knee injury, Ponting thinks Australia is short odds to make it 2-0 in the series.
On top of that, allrounder Andrew Symonds no longer has critics calling for his axing after taking five key wickets and belting 72 from 54 balls in the second innings at Melbourne.
Opener Matt Hayden posted his fifth hundred in seven tests — and 25th overall — and Mike Hussey scored his third in five.
Ponting said the outcome in Melbourne would ”leave a few psychological marks on” South Africa.
”We did win and win very convincingly and probably gave South Africa a few other things to think about,” he said. ”A lot of our guys are in good form. South Africa will have to play exceptionally well to beat us.”
Australia is expected to recall opener Justin Langer, who missed the Melbourne Test with an injured left hamstring, at the expense of Phil Jaques and retain both legspinners Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill.
Langer batted in the SCG nets on Sunday, when temperatures topped 43°C, and didn’t show any signs of being hampered by the hamstring.
MacGill has taken more wickets at the Sydney Cricket Ground than Warne, the leading bowler in Test cricket with 657 wickets, each time they’ve bowled in tandem.
South Africa captain Graeme Smith isn’t sure of the shape of his attack, although he’s fairly sure he’ll only include one specialist spinner.
Uncapped Johan Botha, flown in from South Africa during the second Test when Ntini was injured, could get the selection nod over Nicky Boje, who was ineffective in Melbourne.
”Obviously Makhaya’s a big loss but we’ve got guys capable of coming in,” he said. ”We’ve got options but I seriously doubt that we’ll go in with two spinners.
Botha ”is young, he’s exuberant and if he does get the opportunity it’s about exposure,” added Smith. ”It’s not like he’s got to produce a miracle for us. We’ve got to go with guys who will give us the best chance of winning the game.”
Smith said his lineup had to take more risks.
”We’re 1-0 down, whether it’s 2-0 it doesn’t make any difference, we’ve still lost the series so we’ve got to give it everything,” he said.
”We’ve certainly had opportunities to get ourselves 1-0 up in the series but we didn’t take them … we still believe we can beat them.”
South Africa hasn’t won any of the six Test series against Australia since being readmitted to international cricket a decade ago, although it did claim an upset five-run win at the SCG in 1993-94.
Pace bowler Andre Nel is expected to be promoted to new-ball duties with Shaun Pollock, while Charl Langeveldt also will come into consideration.
All-rounder Justin Kemp, who missed the second Test with a shoulder injury, is still in doubt for the third match. – Sapa-AP